Unlike the DriverManager, a DataSource object has properties that identify and describe the data source it represents.
What a system administrator does to register a DataSource object with a JNDI naming service and what an application does to get a connection to a data source using a DataSource object registered with a JNDI naming service are described later in this chapter.
The ability to use distributed transactions enables an application to do the heavy duty database work of large enterprises.
[3][4] A DataSource is an abstract representation of a live set of data that presents a common predictable API for other objects to interact with.
The nature of your data, its quantity, its complexity, and the logic for returning query results all play a role in determining your type of DataSource.
For small amounts of simple textual data, a JavaScript array is a good choice.
If your data has a small footprint but requires a simple computational or transformational filter before being displayed, a JavaScript function may be the right approach.
For very large datasets—for example, a robust relational database—or to access a third-party webservice you'll certainly need to leverage the power of a Script Node or XHR DataSource.